P'burg inmate adds 3 years for role in prison sex assault

Michael A. Lombardo had 15-year term for theft, eluding police.

January 25, 2006|By Jay Richards Special to The Morning Call - Freelance

A Phillipsburg man serving up to 15 years in jail for eluding police and theft was sentenced Friday to an additional three years in state prison by Superior Court Judge John Pursel for participating in a sexual assault on another inmate in 2002.

According to court records, Michael A. Lombardo, 36, an inmate at South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, conspired on Aug. 17, 2002, with three other inmates to assault the prisoner.

The inmates forced the victim into a cell where they assaulted him.

Two other inmates have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to state prison for their roles. Brian Ballard, 32, of 82 Hudson St., Phillipsburg, was sentenced to 10 years, without parole for 81/2 years, and Robert C. Wood, 25, of 15 Prosper Way, Washington, was sentenced to three years.

Also Friday, Pursel sentenced Lateef Taguan Crews, 31, of 1049 Northampton St., Easton, to one year of probation and 270 days in Warren County Jail for resisting arrest.

But because Crews had proof he was working two jobs to earn money to pay off municipal fines in Phillipsburg for trespassing, Pursel suspended the jail term pending completion of probation. If Crews violates probation, he must serve the jail term.

According to court records, on July 9 police recognized Crews sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle in the parking lot of Warren Hospital. Police told Crews he was under arrest for not paying his fines, but Crews ran away. He was caught later.

He pleaded guilty Sept. 23.

Crews explained that he was evicted from the Phillipsburg public housing development and had no place to go, so he remained in the facility at different housing units until he was charged with trespassing. He said he is living in Easton and working to pay the fines.